bChapter /bb19 /b

My morning bdance /bss left me drenched and pleasantly loose–limbed.

Come noon, bI /bcalled Sally about bwhether /bYvonne wasing home.

b“/bYvonne’s at bthe /bamusement park with Tracyb,/b” Sally informed me. “You should give Tracy a call.”

Tracy bhad /bbe like a second mother to Yvonne–genuinely devoted and always making time for her.

Not that I hadn’t been that mother once. There was a time when my world revolved around parent–teacher conferences and bedtime stories too.

I didn’t call Tracyb. /bIf my daughter smiled more with her, who was I to interfere?

I was about to eat alone when my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

“Hello. Is that Victoria Murphy?” The male voice on the line was warm and unfamiliar.

“Speaking,” I answered automatically before catching myself. “May I ask who’s calling?” ulli/li/ul

“I’m the student you sponsored years ago.” The earnestness in his voice prickled my skin. “I was hoping we might have lunch today.”

The pause stretched too long. I’d never wanted gratitude, and now wasn’t the time to revisit the past–not when I had my own reasons to keep my distance.

In my previous life, I’d seen enough online stories about schrship recipients turning on their benefactors tost a lifetime.

“It’s just lunch,” he said, lowering his voice when he caught my hesitation. “No strings attached.”

“I’m married,” I said quickly. “Meeting men alone… it wouldn’t look right.”

“Bring a friend then,” he offered.

Though I could hear the genuine gratitude in his voice, I calmly refused. “Meeting isn’t necessary. The best repayment is you seeding,” I said, and hung up before he could argue.

I enjoyed a peaceful lunch by myself. At three in the afternoon, Jared called. “Yvonne fell. Her leg’s hurt. Meet us at the hospital,” he said, his voice tight.

“How?b” /bMy stomach dropped.

“She tripped.” As soon as he finished, the hospital location appeared on my screen.

bAs /bYvonne’s mother, I knew she needed me there.

When I arrived at the hospital, Yvonne was curled against Jared, quietly crying with her leg bandaged. Tracy sat nearby, her face filled with guilt.

As 1 entered, Yvonne immediately reached for me, her small voice breaking. “Mom, hold me.”

1 sat on the edge of the hospital bed and cradled her close.

“I’m so sorry,” Tracy said, her bvoice /bthick bwith /bbremorse/b. “I should have been watching her more closely when she bfell/b.”

Jared spoke up bto /bfort her. b“/bWe all know how Yvonne bis/bb, /balways climbing bwhere /bshe shouldn’t. This wasn’t your fault.”

Tracy’s eyes bgrew /bred bas /bsilent btears /bbfell/b.

Yvonne must bhave /bcried herself to exhaustion. She bfell /basleep in my arms within moments.

bJared /bwatched me carefully, clearly worried I’d me Tracy. “Victoria,” he said quickly, “Tracy was just trying to help with Yvonne. Don’t be hard on her.”

I nearlyughed at his protectiveness. Did he really think I’d y the jealous shrew?

“I’m bso /bsorry, Mrs. Hob.” Tracy’s voice trembled with tears.

They both held their breathb, /bwaiting for my reaction. In my previous life, when Yvonne was my entire world, I would have torn Tracy apart for letting Yvonne get hurt. Now I barely had the energy to care.

bI /bsmoothed Yvonne’s tousled hair and then turned to Tracy. “Thank you for watching her. She’s a handful even for me.”

Their stunned silence was almostical.

Tracy looked almost disappointed when I didn’t give her the dramatic scene she wanted.

She’d perfected her act in my previous life–ying the fragile victim while needling me into outbursts that only made Jared despise me more.

“Mrs. Hob, this was entirely my fault,” Tracy said with theatrical remorse, tears streaming as she made a deep, exaggerated bow.

I caught her shoulders mid–bow, forcing her upright. When she snapped her head up, I saw the frustrated realization in her eyes–her performance had failed.

“Jared,” I said, looking up calmly, “why don’t you take Tracy home now? I’ll stay with Yvonne.”

My reasonable tone and unexpected kindness toward Tracy clearly caught Jared off guard. He shifted ufortably.

“Tracy, you should go now,” Jared said. Whether out of guilt or self–reproach, he sent her away but stayed behind himself.

Tracy had no choice but to leave, though not without onest resentful look in my direction.

Settling back against the raised hospital bed, I closed my eyes, our daughter secure in my arms.

“Here, let me take her,” Jared offered suddenly. “You should rest.”

I opened my eyes to find Jared leaning in to carefully transfer our sleeping child from my embrace.

As he drew close, I saw the moment he caught my scent–something subtle and floral–and how his gaze darkened in

bresponse/bb. /b

I’d switched perfumes and opted for a deliberately provocative outfit–a sheer white blouse over a ck bce /bcamisole that entuated every curve.

As Jared reached for our daughter, his arm grazed my chest, and I watched his muscles tense instantly.

1 stretchednguidly before moving to the couch, leaving the bed behind.

“Don’t byou /bwant to know how badly she’s hurt?b” /bbJared’s /bvoice cut through the quietb. /b

b“/bShe’ll liveb,” /bI murmured, not bothering to open my eyesb. /b

“Since when do you not care about our daughterb?/bb” /bThe busation /bhung between usb. /b

“I care,” I said to the ceiling. b“/bbJust /btell Tracy to watch her more closely. Maybe this will bteach /bYvonne some caution. Actually, this is a good thingb./bb” /b

“Tracy isb… /bvery responsible,” Jared said suddenly. “She genuinely cares for Yvonneb./bb” /b

I hid a bitter smile. Tracy only cared for Yvonne as an afterthought—another way to please Jared.

“Tracy’s quite the perfect assistant,” I said, keeping my tone carefully bnced between jest and sincerity. “She battles alongside you bat /bwork and mothers our daughter at home. Really, you should give her a raiseb–/bsomeone that indispensable deserves it.”

Jared went quiet. I couldn’t tell if I’d touched a nerve, but he clearly had no intention of continuing the conversation.

After several minutes of silence, Jared abruptly changed the subject. “Victoria, I’ll rmend you take over hotel operations at next month’s board meeting. Start at the office tomorrow–I’ll arrange the handover.”